In support of UWM’s student success goals, the UWM Libraries recently invested in an up-to-date active learning classroom (ALC). An ALC is a student-centered, technology-rich classroom with movable seating designed to facilitate and promote active learning.
In this space librarians design information literacy instruction lessons, empowering students to work together in small groups using their own devices. Students share their research process and search results on the large, flat screen monitors at six new worktables, accommodating 32 students total.
Sixteen table-top whiteboards are available to spark idea sharing and capture student thinking as they critically engage with their research topics and information sources.
Based on one semester of use, UWM librarians report:
- More students working in small groups fostering peer instruction and collaborative thinking.
- Students engaging in learning activities where they experience authentic search problems and share their individual research strategies with their peers.
- Whiteboards and monitors were used to facilitate communication and encourage meta-cognitive work that helped them retain and transfer information literacy concepts to their assignments.
- Students gathering in this space with a plan to use the amenities as part of their research and writing process.
The ALC (Classroom A) is located in the Daniel M. Soref Learning Commons on the first floor west wing of the Golda Meir Library, and is available for open study when classes are not scheduled. Any UWM instructor can request library instruction for their course by completing our online request form.